The blue economy

Navy can assist in developing marine resources

The Indian Navy has done well to prepare itself in advance to assist the government in developing ocean-based commercial activities, including fisheries, energy generation, and sea mining, as a distinct economic sector termed aptly “blue economy”. The plan prepared for this purpose was outlined by naval chief Admiral Karambir Singh in a recent webinar on the “Role of Maritime Forces in Promoting a Blue Economy”. This initiative of the naval force has come soon after the government put out a draft of the National Blue Economy Policy for public comment. The underlying objective of both the navy’s move and the government’s proposal is to substantially enhance the contribution of the marine sector to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). At present, this is measly, around 4 per cent, because only a fraction of the oceanic resources, largely the fisheries stocks available in the shallow waters along the coasts, is being tapped. The whole of the deep-sea region and the sprawling exclusive economic zone (EEZ) remain under-exploited.

This issue is sought to be addressed through a holistic promotion of the various components of blue economy. The navy’s proposal envisages cresting an enabling ecosystem to realise the optimal economic potential of the seas and other territorial waters. In fact, the navy seeks to treat itself as a “stakeholder” in realising this vision. It would ensure safety, security, and good order on the seas, which are essential for maritime commerce and trade to thrive.

Fortunately, the country has managed, over the years, to put in place a network of marine research institutes to study different aspects of oceanic ecosystems, assess their natural resources, and suggest the ways and means to harness their economic potential in a sustainable manner. But none of these bodies can be expected to know oceans better than the navy. As indicated by the naval chief, this force has the resources, assets, and domain-expertise for mapping, characterising, and monitoring. Interestingly, the navy is also envisaging itself as an “element” of the blue economy and play a participatory role in this exercise. It can support job-specific ship-building and help in creating a reliable data base by collating subject-relevant information.

However, an urgent task that needs the navy’s backing is to expand the basket of maritime economic activities and extend them beyond the coastal and mid-sea zones. At present, the blue economy is confined largely to fishing in the coastal belt with the water depth of up to 50 metres, or, at the most, to the mid-seas of up to 100 metres. Over-exploitation has depleted the fisheries resources of these waters, resulting in shrinkage of catches. Fisheries, therefore, needs to be expanded to more parts of the oceans, especially the deeper-seas whose resources of high-value fishes remain almost untouched. Similarly, the economic potential of other (non-fisheries) natural resources of the Indian seas and the EEZ, including the mineral and gaseous resources, has remained largely unexplored and under-exploited. The prospective lucrative activities in this sector include generating wind and waves energy, harnessing mineral wealth and ecologically safe and sustainable use of coral reefs, and marine biodiversity for tourism and other recreational purposes. Even small strides in these areas can pay high dividends.